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Driven
Mitchell Morgan is a quiet young man with dangerous secrets. One of those secrets is a psychic power over metal that makes him far more than just the handsome, blue-eyed owner of Advanced Auto Repairs. The other traps him in a world of organized crime and intense violence.
Trevor Lewis is a graphic designer with a passion for drawing, drumming, and his incredibly hot auto mechanic. He meets Mitchell over a broken tail light, and despite - or perhaps because of - Trevor’s awkwardness, Mitchell is charmed. Trevor's curly hair and brilliant smile bring light into Mitchell’s complicated world. Mitchell would do anything to save Trevor from the dangers of his criminal life — but first Trevor has to save Mitchell from his own darkness. (M/M - See publisher's website for content labels.)
Novella (85,000 words)
Genre(s): Romance, Gay (M/M), Paranormal Romance, Thriller, Contemporary
Trevor Lewis is a graphic designer with a passion for drawing, drumming, and his incredibly hot auto mechanic. He meets Mitchell over a broken tail light, and despite - or perhaps because of - Trevor’s awkwardness, Mitchell is charmed. Trevor's curly hair and brilliant smile bring light into Mitchell’s complicated world. Mitchell would do anything to save Trevor from the dangers of his criminal life — but first Trevor has to save Mitchell from his own darkness. (M/M - See publisher's website for content labels.)
Novella (85,000 words)
Genre(s): Romance, Gay (M/M), Paranormal Romance, Thriller, Contemporary
245 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 8, 2015
57 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
December 12, 2015
(Originally reviewed for Love Bytes Same Sex Book Reviews. 1.5 out 5.0 stars)
Warning: This book contains graphic and brutal violence, including detailed murder scenes, graphic male rape and repeated beatings. It also contains references to underage male prostitution.
I’m going to be honest. I’m not going blow smoke and say that I liked this book. There were parts of it that were OK, but there were parts that were not. The parts that were not OK overshadowed the rest by far. I’m going to have some spoilers in this review because I want you to understand why I’m going rate the book so low.
When this book showed up on our list for reviews, I read the blurb, saw “handsome…blue-eyed…hot auto mechanic” meets “graphic designer…awkward.” Throw in the psychic power and maybe some secret ties to organized crime and it sounded really good. Based on the Pontiac Grand Am on the cover, I assumed it would be set somewhere in the US. (It wasn’t.)
What also wasn’t covered in the blurb was that there was a Gender Queer character that needed to be addressed as they, them and themselves. I didn’t have an issue with the character, who ended up being a minor character anyway, but it was confusing as it was my first experience with a Gender Queer character and the need for non-gender pronouns. I’ll admit I learned something from the character of Kay, but Kay seemed to have been written in for political correctness reasons, and didn’t really have anything to do with the overall story.
The second thing that wasn’t covered in the blurb was that Mitchell was from Liverpool, and he and his mother’s dialog was written in the Scouse accent of Liverpool. I literally had to read those sections out loud to puzzle out what was being said. I thought that was a detail that could easily have been left out, because to me it didn’t make those sections more realistic…it just made them annoying as hell.
The third thing that was not covered was that Mitchell is an executioner for an organized crime boss. We are told it isn’t his choice, but when he stabbed someone repeatedly with a switchblade…prior to slicing the man’s throat open and then holding his body up while the blood gushed out of his wound and the victim tried to hold the blood in with his hands…and then when the blood slowed he pushed the guy onto the muddy ground and watched him breathing his last…it was pretty far over the top, even for me.
By the time it got to Mitchell being brutally raped from both ends by the mob boss and his right hand man…after they had just beaten him severely…and then the scene ended with a third man pissing on him as he lay there on the office floor afterwards, I’ll admit it…I was pretty much done.
I make it a point to always finish what I started, and I knew no one at our blog would even slightly want to pick up this book if I walked away from it, so I decided to finish it…which I did, this morning.
In my opinion, this book should have come with a much more extensively written blurb, complete with strong content warnings. I’m the guy at our blog who usually reads the darker stuff we get in, so the dark content in this book I was able to handle easily enough. But that said, it doesn’t mean I liked it very much.
Unless you are into graphic violence, I would recommend you give this book a pass. Mr. Kinsley did a good job with developing the darkness and flaws in his two MCs. I think it could have been a much better book if he had kept going in that direction, instead of bringing some of the things mentioned above onto the pages of his book. I’m going to have to give the book a rating of 1.5 out of 5.0 stars. I personally didn’t like it and it was not for me.
Warning: This book contains graphic and brutal violence, including detailed murder scenes, graphic male rape and repeated beatings. It also contains references to underage male prostitution.
I’m going to be honest. I’m not going blow smoke and say that I liked this book. There were parts of it that were OK, but there were parts that were not. The parts that were not OK overshadowed the rest by far. I’m going to have some spoilers in this review because I want you to understand why I’m going rate the book so low.
When this book showed up on our list for reviews, I read the blurb, saw “handsome…blue-eyed…hot auto mechanic” meets “graphic designer…awkward.” Throw in the psychic power and maybe some secret ties to organized crime and it sounded really good. Based on the Pontiac Grand Am on the cover, I assumed it would be set somewhere in the US. (It wasn’t.)
What also wasn’t covered in the blurb was that there was a Gender Queer character that needed to be addressed as they, them and themselves. I didn’t have an issue with the character, who ended up being a minor character anyway, but it was confusing as it was my first experience with a Gender Queer character and the need for non-gender pronouns. I’ll admit I learned something from the character of Kay, but Kay seemed to have been written in for political correctness reasons, and didn’t really have anything to do with the overall story.
The second thing that wasn’t covered in the blurb was that Mitchell was from Liverpool, and he and his mother’s dialog was written in the Scouse accent of Liverpool. I literally had to read those sections out loud to puzzle out what was being said. I thought that was a detail that could easily have been left out, because to me it didn’t make those sections more realistic…it just made them annoying as hell.
The third thing that was not covered was that Mitchell is an executioner for an organized crime boss. We are told it isn’t his choice, but when he stabbed someone repeatedly with a switchblade…prior to slicing the man’s throat open and then holding his body up while the blood gushed out of his wound and the victim tried to hold the blood in with his hands…and then when the blood slowed he pushed the guy onto the muddy ground and watched him breathing his last…it was pretty far over the top, even for me.
By the time it got to Mitchell being brutally raped from both ends by the mob boss and his right hand man…after they had just beaten him severely…and then the scene ended with a third man pissing on him as he lay there on the office floor afterwards, I’ll admit it…I was pretty much done.
I make it a point to always finish what I started, and I knew no one at our blog would even slightly want to pick up this book if I walked away from it, so I decided to finish it…which I did, this morning.
In my opinion, this book should have come with a much more extensively written blurb, complete with strong content warnings. I’m the guy at our blog who usually reads the darker stuff we get in, so the dark content in this book I was able to handle easily enough. But that said, it doesn’t mean I liked it very much.
Unless you are into graphic violence, I would recommend you give this book a pass. Mr. Kinsley did a good job with developing the darkness and flaws in his two MCs. I think it could have been a much better book if he had kept going in that direction, instead of bringing some of the things mentioned above onto the pages of his book. I’m going to have to give the book a rating of 1.5 out of 5.0 stars. I personally didn’t like it and it was not for me.
December 17, 2015
2.5 star review by The Blogger Girls.
This story had a lot of potential, but I found I was confused and conflicted throughout most of it. It contains graphic violence, beatings and rape.
It is about Mitchell, who is able to manipulate metal, the extent of which, he keeps a closely guarded secret. Through the use of his special skills, he became a very successful (undefeated) street racer, but that put him in the path of an evil organized crime leader who he is now indebted. He is forced to race for the man, as well as be his executioner any time it is “requested.” These scenes are quite graphic and disturbing and caused some conflicted feelings for me as to Mitchell’s character. It is understood that Mitchell doesn’t have any choice in the matter and even wants out, but when performing his duties, it is a bit difficult to see.
Trevor brings his car to Mitchell’s garage and is intrigued. Even through Mitchell tries to keep his distance, Trevor’s persistence pays off and Mitchell gives in. Trevor is in complete contrast to Mitchell. He is good, where Mitchell has all these dark secrets. It was hard to see how these two would ever work out given their differences. By the time the secrets are all out, Trevor is too in love with Mitchell to look the other way. I really would have liked to have seen more involving Mitchell’s metal skills, even though they are what saved everyone in the end.
There is a gender queer character, Kay, who didn’t so much confuse me as just kept pulling me out of the story. Any reference is made to them, they or themselves which constantly threw me off. Kay didn’t play a very big role, but enough so that I remembered to comment about it.
Mitchell’s original dialect, mostly during the times when he visits his mum, was a little difficult to follow. I had to read a few times to understand what was being said. I usually like hearing different aspects of people’s origins, but this one was hard to follow. Perhaps that’s just the way it is there, but as a reader, I had some trouble with it.
Even though this one didn’t completely work for me, I was definitely intrigued enough by other aspects of Mr. Kinsley’s writing that I am definitely interested in reading more of his work.
February 12, 2016
3.5 Stars ~
Warning: Graphic rape and graphic violence
There is no gentle way to say this other than to state that Nicholas Kinsley’s novel, Driven, is dark, repeatedly violent and very edgy. This story will not be every reader’s cup of tea, particularly with a violent beating and rape scene in full detail near the end of the book, as well as on page murder scenes that are horribly graphic. However, if you love main characters who tread that fine line between evil and good, then look no further because this is going to ring every one of your bells and then some.
Mitchell’s life has been one slice of hell after another. Whoring side by side with his mother–often in the same room, servicing the same john–from an early age to dealing drugs and finally being both the master mechanic and sometime killer for the kingpin scum of the earth, Alfred Kane, Mitchell has seen and done it all. Now trying desperately to ease away from the dark side of his life, he bides his time, hoping one day to no longer be forced to do anyone’s dirty work. And what dirty work he has done…
Trevor is a graphic designer with a twisted secret hobby. On the surface, he looks like model material, and when he takes his car into Mitchell’s shop to have some work done, the attraction between the two men is palpable. Thus begins a tentative dance between them, but Mitchell has so many secrets, not the least of which is his kinetic power to mold metal to his will. Along with that and his dark and shady work on the side, he is hardly boyfriend material for the seemingly clean cut Trevor. But Trevor is drawn to the quiet, secretive man, and determines he can handle whatever Mitchell is hiding–little does he know that eventually he, too, will be drawn into Kane’s web of murder and violence.
I’m not really sure where to start in this review. First, let me say, that there are no heroes in this story–no good, virtuous knights in shining armor. In fact, while both Mitchell and Trevor have some lovely intimate moments, those very scenes are often offset by disturbing or sadistic scenes of violence. In one case, something as simple as Mitchell taking Trevor for a ride allows us to see that angry, dark side of Mitchell that both scares and titillates Trevor. It’s all well and good to show Mitchell in Trevor’s arms, sobbing about his latest beating and rape at the hands of Kane and his men, but then to have Trevor remember that the man he is comforting also described how he murdered in cold blood and felt nothing is just a bit too macabre.
And then we have Trevor and his lack of real friends, other than one named Kay. Allow me to insert here that the introduction of a gender queer character, Kay, who is described as they or them in the narrative gave me a bit of a jolt when first reading about the person. I will admit that getting used to the multiple person pronoun references took some time for me. However, more worrisome was that this character went nowhere—it was as if the author wanted to be inclusive by having a gender queer person, and then never really had them make any impact on the story. Beyond Kay, there was one other person who frankly admitted to Trevor that his friends really felt he was distant and selfish—only caring about himself. He most assuredly was—except when it came to Mitchell.
So, you see my dilemma. Was Driven well written? Undeniably, yes. Was it horribly graphic, violent and scary weird? Again, yes. Did it hook me in and keep me on the edge of my seat? Very much so, yes! But I cringed at that torture and rape scene…I shook my head at the idea that both our MCs were more anti-heroes, and at story’s end I wasn’t really sure I would ever trust or be at ease reading more about Trevor and Mitchell. How to rate this novel? That is the real question for me. I think, dear reader, that if you can handle the violence, this may be a novel you might enjoy, but I do warn you, Nicholas Kinsley has surely done his job well in presenting a disturbing m/m novel that will leave you shaking your head at what you just read.
Reviewed by Sammy for The Novel Approach
http://www.thenovelapproachreviews.co...
There is no gentle way to say this other than to state that Nicholas Kinsley’s novel, Driven, is dark, repeatedly violent and very edgy. This story will not be every reader’s cup of tea, particularly with a violent beating and rape scene in full detail near the end of the book, as well as on page murder scenes that are horribly graphic. However, if you love main characters who tread that fine line between evil and good, then look no further because this is going to ring every one of your bells and then some.
Mitchell’s life has been one slice of hell after another. Whoring side by side with his mother–often in the same room, servicing the same john–from an early age to dealing drugs and finally being both the master mechanic and sometime killer for the kingpin scum of the earth, Alfred Kane, Mitchell has seen and done it all. Now trying desperately to ease away from the dark side of his life, he bides his time, hoping one day to no longer be forced to do anyone’s dirty work. And what dirty work he has done…
Trevor is a graphic designer with a twisted secret hobby. On the surface, he looks like model material, and when he takes his car into Mitchell’s shop to have some work done, the attraction between the two men is palpable. Thus begins a tentative dance between them, but Mitchell has so many secrets, not the least of which is his kinetic power to mold metal to his will. Along with that and his dark and shady work on the side, he is hardly boyfriend material for the seemingly clean cut Trevor. But Trevor is drawn to the quiet, secretive man, and determines he can handle whatever Mitchell is hiding–little does he know that eventually he, too, will be drawn into Kane’s web of murder and violence.
I’m not really sure where to start in this review. First, let me say, that there are no heroes in this story–no good, virtuous knights in shining armor. In fact, while both Mitchell and Trevor have some lovely intimate moments, those very scenes are often offset by disturbing or sadistic scenes of violence. In one case, something as simple as Mitchell taking Trevor for a ride allows us to see that angry, dark side of Mitchell that both scares and titillates Trevor. It’s all well and good to show Mitchell in Trevor’s arms, sobbing about his latest beating and rape at the hands of Kane and his men, but then to have Trevor remember that the man he is comforting also described how he murdered in cold blood and felt nothing is just a bit too macabre.
And then we have Trevor and his lack of real friends, other than one named Kay. Allow me to insert here that the introduction of a gender queer character, Kay, who is described as they or them in the narrative gave me a bit of a jolt when first reading about the person. I will admit that getting used to the multiple person pronoun references took some time for me. However, more worrisome was that this character went nowhere—it was as if the author wanted to be inclusive by having a gender queer person, and then never really had them make any impact on the story. Beyond Kay, there was one other person who frankly admitted to Trevor that his friends really felt he was distant and selfish—only caring about himself. He most assuredly was—except when it came to Mitchell.
So, you see my dilemma. Was Driven well written? Undeniably, yes. Was it horribly graphic, violent and scary weird? Again, yes. Did it hook me in and keep me on the edge of my seat? Very much so, yes! But I cringed at that torture and rape scene…I shook my head at the idea that both our MCs were more anti-heroes, and at story’s end I wasn’t really sure I would ever trust or be at ease reading more about Trevor and Mitchell. How to rate this novel? That is the real question for me. I think, dear reader, that if you can handle the violence, this may be a novel you might enjoy, but I do warn you, Nicholas Kinsley has surely done his job well in presenting a disturbing m/m novel that will leave you shaking your head at what you just read.
Reviewed by Sammy for The Novel Approach
http://www.thenovelapproachreviews.co...
December 5, 2015
I received a copy of this title to read and review for Wicked Reads
DNF: automatic 3 stars, as the writing style was not for me and not a direct reflection on the author.
I'm reviewing this even though the review will not be posted on the blog (as a policy we don't post DNF reviews) simply because I'll need to remind myself that I attempted to read it.
I was drawn in by the cover and blurb, to the point I tried to sign up to read the book twice, forgetting that I already had.
This isn't a review you should use to decide if you wish to purchase the book or not, but I will state why I couldn't continue on.
Over-description.
Everything was described in great detail, down to the color of the walls, the box of Kleenex, and the pens in a single cup. While I appreciate how this is to set the scene, placing a reader in the narrator's environment, it buried the plot beneath. Highly detailed, to what the receptionist was wearing, to every facial feature, and even the oil stain. I wasn't even sure if this was a side character or not, or a passing character never to be seen from again, so I didn't commit all of this info to memory. It was several pages with nothing but this in the beginning, and it made it difficult for me to connect to the plot and narrator, as the story was buried.
In conclusion, I couldn't continue because I didn't have the patience. I cannot comment on the characterization or the storyline. The writing style was just not to my tastes.
DNF: automatic 3 stars, as the writing style was not for me and not a direct reflection on the author.
I'm reviewing this even though the review will not be posted on the blog (as a policy we don't post DNF reviews) simply because I'll need to remind myself that I attempted to read it.
I was drawn in by the cover and blurb, to the point I tried to sign up to read the book twice, forgetting that I already had.
This isn't a review you should use to decide if you wish to purchase the book or not, but I will state why I couldn't continue on.
Over-description.
Everything was described in great detail, down to the color of the walls, the box of Kleenex, and the pens in a single cup. While I appreciate how this is to set the scene, placing a reader in the narrator's environment, it buried the plot beneath. Highly detailed, to what the receptionist was wearing, to every facial feature, and even the oil stain. I wasn't even sure if this was a side character or not, or a passing character never to be seen from again, so I didn't commit all of this info to memory. It was several pages with nothing but this in the beginning, and it made it difficult for me to connect to the plot and narrator, as the story was buried.
In conclusion, I couldn't continue because I didn't have the patience. I cannot comment on the characterization or the storyline. The writing style was just not to my tastes.
December 13, 2015
No,I haven't read this book...and no,I'm not going to. And yes,I'm rating it one star. Why? Because if you put a graphic rape in your book,and violence,and NOT put any kind of warning in the blurb,you get one star from me.
See this review for more https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
See this review for more https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
March 19, 2019
The novel had a great premise…but the execution let me down.
Initially, I thought the paranormal subplot was interesting, but it didn’t add much to the novel in the end. It could have been left out easily, without making much of a dent in the scheme of things.
Mitchell could have been just a skilled mechanic. A prodigy, if it were.
However, it was the main plot that disappointed me the most. It had a solid beginning, but the climax was unsatisfactory, and that frustrates me because I can see all the places where the novel could have been improved before publication.
The first issue I had with the execution of the plot was the graphic rape scene (without prior warning, I might add) that occurred later in the novel. I don’t open romance novels with the hope of finding rape scenes waiting for me. I can understand wanting to include darker topics in a story, but it could have had the same impact if the scene had faded to black before the rape and the traumatised aftermath had been explored in more detail instead.
The second issue I had was the involvement of criminal investigations. When the operative was introduced to the story, I felt excited at first. I was looking forward to seeing Kane and his cronies taken down legally, to seeing his criminal organisation crumble like the tower in Mordor.
I was looking forward to seeing them all rot in prison.
But that isn’t what happened.
The operative might as well have been left out. His presence added nothing. The potential his introduction had brought to the table was squandered before the climax of the plot even took place.
That saddens and frustrates me to no end.
Full review can be read here: http://pocketscribbles.com/2019/03/19...
Initially, I thought the paranormal subplot was interesting, but it didn’t add much to the novel in the end. It could have been left out easily, without making much of a dent in the scheme of things.
Mitchell could have been just a skilled mechanic. A prodigy, if it were.
However, it was the main plot that disappointed me the most. It had a solid beginning, but the climax was unsatisfactory, and that frustrates me because I can see all the places where the novel could have been improved before publication.
The first issue I had with the execution of the plot was the graphic rape scene (without prior warning, I might add) that occurred later in the novel. I don’t open romance novels with the hope of finding rape scenes waiting for me. I can understand wanting to include darker topics in a story, but it could have had the same impact if the scene had faded to black before the rape and the traumatised aftermath had been explored in more detail instead.
The second issue I had was the involvement of criminal investigations. When the operative was introduced to the story, I felt excited at first. I was looking forward to seeing Kane and his cronies taken down legally, to seeing his criminal organisation crumble like the tower in Mordor.
I was looking forward to seeing them all rot in prison.
But that isn’t what happened.
The operative might as well have been left out. His presence added nothing. The potential his introduction had brought to the table was squandered before the climax of the plot even took place.
That saddens and frustrates me to no end.
Full review can be read here: http://pocketscribbles.com/2019/03/19...
September 30, 2019
This isn't the kind of book I usually read and honestly, I need something very light and fluffy now because this book was dark. I liked Mitchell and Trevor and the story kept me engaged. I could have done without some of the more graphic elements but they didn't make me hate the story.
friends-say-no
June 6, 2017Reviews have been poor. I'm going to officially pass.
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